Prince of Persia: the Two Thrones has received some of the most diverse responses of any game this year. It has pleased thousands of fans of the Sands of Time series, and disappointed quite a few as well. For some, such as myself, it brought back the beauty of the game that Warrior Within lacked. This review will discuss the ups and downs of the game without spoiling anything for anyone who hasn’t played it. PLEASE NOTE that I have included a quick summary of Warrior Within for those who, like myself, chose not to play it due to its plethora of unpleasant content and its poor engineering.

Summary of WW:
After the events of Sands of Time, the Prince has been haunted for years. By changing the timeline, he had a debt to pay with Fate. He travels to the Island of Time in an attempt to stop the Sands from ever being created. While there, he is repeatedly chased by the Dahaka (Fate personified). He meets the Empress of Time, who is part of the Sands themselves, who eventually decides that she wishes to change her fate as well. The Prince succeeds in his mission, and returns home with his new love, Kaileena (the Empress). However, he did not realize that taking her away from the island would soon make matters worse than ever…

Now, on with the Two Thrones!!!

The game in general:
The story is simply amazing. For those of you who were in awe at the end of the Sands of Time, this does not disappoint. It’s not quite equal to SoT, but it’s definitely good. The Prince returns to Babylon to find it ravaged by an unimaginable guest. The game unfolds into a quest to win back his kingdom while fighting against none other than himself. The Prince now has a ‘dark side’ who tries to manipulate him into doing its own will. The Prince is no longer cocky, just desperate to save his father’s kingdom. My one and only complaint with the story is that there wasn’t a clear explanation of the significance of the Two Thrones. You can figure it out (especially when you unlock the picture galleries), but they still should have explained it better.

Gameplay:
All the good stuff from SoT (minus the ability to freeze enemies), and the only good things from WW, and then some. I won’t reiterate on the Prince’s gameplay, other than the notably seamless addition of Speed Kills. Once you master the technique, you will love the game SO much more! The main difference in gameplay is when you play as the Dark Prince. He’s stronger, faster, and his Daggertail weapon is nothing short of amazing. As the dark prince you have new abilities both in and out of battle. You can swing from lamps, attack enemies from above, and fight from a further distance than as the normal Prince. But be quick! You health gradually deteriorates when you’re the Dark Prince (you’ll learn why when you play)! One annoying thing is when smashing pots and baskets, your 3-swing combo is pretty slow. Not too bad, though.

Graphics/Sound/etc.:
The graphics are astounding, to put it lightly. The movie cut-scenes are gorgeous (though you may occasionally notice a slight lag in frame-rate). Though most of the game involves drab, colorless locations, it sets the perfect mood for the game, something that Warrior Within failed to achieve. The lighting effects are nearly flawless, and the amount of detail is tremendous. Sound is great. The music is right on the money, the voice acting is wonderful, and clashes and crashes are great, though a little loud at times. The graphics did, however, lag quite a bit every time I transformed between the Prince and his evil alter ego.

Anti-Christian content:
Everything is pretty much the same as the Sands of Time. Nothing is meant to press religious views, though some may find the whole idea of the Sand of Time and related subjects to be offensive. As for the Dark Prince, some have condemned this game as demonic, but I encourage you to look into it a bit more. The Dark Prince is not a good thing. He is the ‘bad’ side of the Prince, trying to take him over and corrupt him, nearly succeeding at times. Does this not happen within all of us? We all have a ‘bad’ side that corrupts us. As you progress through the game, you will see how much the Dark Prince is not meant to be praised. The ending is sure to please many Christians who are willing to think deeper about things. I gave the game an ‘in-between’ score in this area, as it is applicable to Christians, but not meant to be.

Violence:
The rating didn’t lie about the ‘intense violence.’ This is a highly violent game. Lots of cutting, slashing and stabbing of terrible sand creatures. It was also rated ‘M’ for ‘blood and gore,’ but you have the option to turn the blood off, which also mellows down the dismemberment. The Dark Prince uses his Daggertail to dispose of his enemies in some gruesome ways, and the Prince’s Speed Kills may occasionally make you cringe (of course, you’re not required to perform them other than in boss fights). The Two Thrones is NOT for the squeamish.

Adult content:
This irks me SO much. The ESRB rating states that the game contains nudity, but it DOESN’T. I am truly pleased that it does not contain such garbage, but I am bugged that it’s rated the way it is. The only thing even remotely suggestive is the 5 seconds that you see Kaileena, the sides of her dress are a bit revealing, but nothing like in Warrior Within. There is NO nudity, there is NO sexual content whatsoever. The only thing to be concerned about is what others will think of you playing a game that they think has nudity in it, which is definitely something to be concerned about. But as for the game, there is ZERO sexual content, and for that I am glad. Also there is no foul language. I think at one point the Dark Prince attempted to call the Prince a bad name, but he got interrupted.

Overall:
This game is highly recommended to older teens and adults who can handle lots of intense swordplay. It ends the trilogy beautifully, and does not disappoint.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this Spotlight review are those of the reviewer (both ratings and recommendations), and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Eden Communications or the Christian Answers Network.

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Colonel LinkFebruary 8, 2008

I would like to add a few things regarding content. Although the game itself has no sexual content as the reviewer mentioned, there are some unlockable scenes (when you get enough “sand credits”, you get concept art and videos).
There is one video that might be why it received a sexual content note. You see a few cutscenes from WW meshed together, all involving indecently dressed women. You also see the prince push Kaileena against a wall, and it is implied that they have sex.
But of course, it is completely optional to watch these videos, so I wouldn’t worry about it.

Also, I really disagree with the story being “simply amazing”. It’s not bad, but no one would ever play the game just for the story. It just isn’t that original.
And my last post was partially incorrect. The video that has sexual content is the “correct” ending to Warrior Within, and it does much more than imply sex.

GunKidMarch 6, 2009

This game was great very bloody but as he tells you turn of the blood.The voices are great and the movie seen are cool.But the bosses are hard but if have the right moves you kill them easy.

Willow700April 20, 2009

I liked this game. It was a big improvement to the disappointment that was Warrior Within. (WW I could not bare to finish. Combat was about the only good thing about it. Sands of Time was my favorite of the three, even with the possibly implying scene in the baths.)

The gameplay was fun and the time attacks were a nice addition. The story was less dark than WW and the nice music returned!

The Dark Prince was interesting to play. His weapon was also a nice change. He was somewhat an evil version of the prince. One reason I liked this game, the conflict between the Prince and the Dark Prince is much like the conflict that goes on inside of ourselves…a constant internal battle of good versus evil.

K.RajeshMay 6, 2009

thanks this would be a use full site for game lovers

braneJune 25, 2009

i want to know the complete story of prince of persia

sands of time
the two thrones – what happens to prince
warrior within – why i am here
and their relation

GuestFebruary 10, 2010

In regards to the ESRB rating…
It is true that there is no sexual content, but there is nudity in the game. The green goblins averse to sunlight are, in fact, naked. At a distance they appear to be wearing loincloths when it turns out that they have long pubic hair.

Shiva giriJuly 21, 2010

i think it is my one the best game i've ever played in my life !!! & offcourse it's story is amazing ……….. and the last theme song had also touched my heart!!!!!!!!!

BrandonOctober 7, 2010

Some enemies known as Enchantresses are naked. So, what does the review mean, no sexual content?

SeriousGamerOctober 11, 2010

I never noticed that and I've played this game. How exactly do you get a close enough look at any of the enemies to see? I'd say if you want to complaign about any sexual content, then Kaileena is the worst part of it with her open dress. The sexual content, little as it is, isn't even the worst part of this game. I'd say the violence is the worst because it's so bloody, and even that can be limited. When compared to other M rated games, this one is actually pretty mild in terms of objectionable content, at least I think so.

BrandonSeptember 21, 2011

Well, then I reckon what I read about it (I was considering getting this game) was not very accurate. Thanks for the clarification

SeriousGamerSeptember 21, 2011

I would still consider it. It's a game that could have easily made T if it hadn't been for the rather bloody combat methods, but if you turn off the blood, it's rather tame. Some of the boss fights are, I admit, cringe-worthy, such as one that requires you to stab out the boss's eyes. But in spite of all of it, there's even some good messages in this game.

NarwhalSeptember 22, 2011

Stab out the bosses' eyes? Gee, what a way for a giant monster to die.

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The Christian Gamer is a believer in Jesus Christ as the way to eternal salvation (John 3:16). As a Christian, responsible to God for my actions and thoughts, I promise to choose my games carefully. My goal is to be a good witness in my purchasing decisions, in my game play with others, and in the use of my time.